A Cleaner, Healthier World Community
Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
On behalf of the United States, then-EPA Administrator Whitman signed the POPs treaty to ban or restrict the production, use, and release of 12 toxic and persistent chemicals that have been linked to numerous adverse effects in humans and animals, including cancer, central nervous system damage, reproductive disorders, and immune system disruption. The Bush Administration submitted the treaty to the U.S. Senate in 2002 for advice and consent, and is working with Congress on implementing legislation.